by Kristin Kreuser
This is a story about two different people in two different parts of the world. For our purposes, their stories first begin in 1968. And now, almost 56 years later, we are hoping that with your help, their paths will cross for the first time.
Before you meet the two subjects of this story, we would like you to think back to December 31, 1968. If you lived it, you might remember seeing the image of the very first EarthRise, captured by the astronauts of Apollo 8 a week earlier on Christmas Eve. And if you didn’t live it, you have no doubt seen the captivating image of the illuminated Earth as the crew orbited the moon.
Doug LaViolette on field maneuvers with the US Army in Germany during the summer of 1969.
When the U.S. Army newspaper Stars and Stripes hit the newsstands on that New Year’s Eve, service men and women around the world were awestruck by that image of Earth. It literally took their breath away. Doug LaViolette was one of these servicemen. As a young soldier, a kid actually, Doug wondered about his future and what the world would have in store for him. Little did he realize that within a few years, he would meet the love of his life, Renee; they would be married in 1974; and matters would change from “I” to "us". They would have two loving children, a son they named Brian, and a beautiful daughter christened Kimberly, and in September of 2024 they would celebrate 50 years of marriage.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. For the story to continue, we need to go back to that last day of 1968. Doug was stationed in Augsburg Germany, knee-deep in the Cold War and the cold weather. On that same day half a world away, actually 5922 miles away, another soldier was at the House of Adler Vietnam Exchange, buying what was possibly his first “good watch” with his hard-earned combat pay. We know that this soldier was an E4, serving with the 611th Transportation Company. His name appears to be Thomas C. Neshah and his RA Service Number, 56xxxxxx.
Photo by Doug LaViolette
How do we know all of this? It’s written somewhat clearly at the bottom of the original receipt. Though we wonder, is his first name actually Thomas? Or could it be Shane? Or Sheamus?
The battle cry on the 611th Transportation Company unit patch seems so appropriate as we continue our story…
WHAT NEXT?
The timepiece that this soldier so carefully selected and then, for decades, took such good care of, will be coming up for auction at the end of this year in New York City.
Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation, formed in 1992 after Doug and Renee’s son Brian was lost in a swimming accident in Door County. To date, this inspirational foundation has awarded over 1100 scholarships to high school students.
In anticipation of this year’s auction, we would be honored to share more of the story of the soldier who first owned this Technos Sky Diver watch, but we wonder. . .
Technos Sky Diver watch, photography by Ty Alexander Photography
Who is he and what has his life dealt him?
Who were the other men in his unit and does he ever keep in touch with them?
Did he marry? Did he have children? Might he have grandchildren? What did he do for a living? Did he ever wear the watch in combat or did he buy it right before he rotated home to the United States?
Dave Langenfeld, a good friend of the LaViolette family, discovered the watch in Sturgeon Bay. From the little information that we have about the original owner, we know that he spends his summers in Door County and his winters in Florida.
Our hope is that now, over a half a century later, these two soldiers will have a chance to meet and share their stories.
Our hope is also that this Swiss-Made wristwatch will have an impact on a young student for decades to come.
As our story comes to an end, for now, we are hoping for your help. If you know who this soldier is, or if you know someone in his family, please reach out to Doug at (920) 655-4098 or doug@laviolettefoundation.org.
